1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for treating hair with vapor and heat. More particularly, this invention relates to devices for treating hair with vapor and heat by curling the hair around a treating mandrel.
2. Technical Considerations and Prior Art
A widely practiced method of treating hair involves winding the hair around a mandrel or curler and then treating the hair with heat and vapor to plasticize and thereby set the hair. This method is successfully practiced by the device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,292. However, the device disclosed by this patent uses a curler or treating mandrel of only one diameter and configuration.
In setting the hair, it is often advantageous to have mandrels or curlers of different diameters and different geometrical configurations to effect different hair styles and to accommodate different types of hair. The prior art does not disclose a hair treating device having mandrels of different diameters and configurations which may be utilized with the type of device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,292. In order to effectively utilize the concept of U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,292 with mandrels of different sizes and configurations, it is necessary that each of the mandrels has a structure that will cooperate with a similar supporting member from which vapor and heat are generated.
Exemplary of the prior art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,215,148; 3,224,454; and 3,291,141. Each of these patents teaches using a plurality of mandrels or curlers of different diameters. However, none of these patents discloses adequate structure for conveying a vapor such as steam to the surface of the mandrels.
In addition to providing mandrels or curlers of different diameters, it is also advantageous to have mandrels for waving or straightening hair which are readily interchangeable with curling mandrels. The prior art does not provide for this interchangeability.
Any electrical appliance which utilizes interchangeable components needs a safety switch to render the appliance inoperative while the components are being changed, in order that the user will not be shocked, burned or otherwise injured while the components are being changed or while no component is on the device. This is a special problem with devices such as hand-held steam curling irons which operate from house current and eject steam. The prior art does not concern itself with this problem.
From an operability standpoint, it is necessary to provide each mandrel with a clamp to initially clamp the hair to the mandrel before the hair is rolled up. In order to firmly clamp the hair in place without kinking the hair along the clamping area, it is necessary that the surface of the clamp complements the surface of the mandrel with which it is associated. In the prior art, this is accomplished by telescoping a plurality of rollers together with their treating surfaces in generally tangential relationship at an area near the clamp. This may not be a satisfactory relationship for a hair treating device which utilizes both heat and vapor because the larger diameter mandrels are not coaxial with the tubular barrel around which they are mounted. This eccentricity can conceivably result in an uneven distribution of heat and vapor to the hair wound around the mandrel.
In view of the afore-mentioned limitations and other limitations of the prior art, it is necessary to provide a new and improved device to enable the device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,292 to operate effectively with hair treating mandrels of different sizes and configurations.